By Tuesday evening's rush hour, the highways and main roads in the region appeared to be cleared after our big blast Monday night into early Tuesday. Police, the State Highway Patrol and the Ohio Turnpike reported some minor accidents by 6:45 p.m., but said traffic generally flowed smoothly.

The 2 to 4 inches of snow that fell across much of Northeast Ohio Tuesday morning caused slippery highways, a slow morning commute and numerous slip-and-slide fender benders.

But motorists in the "snow belt" faced greater accumulations and greater challenges.

The National Weather Service said 9.5 inches of new snow fell in Chardon in the 12 hours leading up to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. A weather service spotter in Montville Township in Geauga County reported that by late morning, 13 inches had fallen over a 24-hour period.

For Dana Stearns, the manager of operations for Chardon schools in the heart of the snow belt, Tuesday began early. He was on the road at 3:30 a.m., checking on road and weather conditions to help the district determine if kids should go to school.

The verdict: Like most public and private school districts on Cleveland's East Side, classes were canceled in Chardon.

And while that might make Stearns a hero to Chardon students, that's not his goal, of course. His only concern is making sure conditions are safe for students. And while the main highways were in pretty good shape, concerns about drifting on side roads and cold temperatures prompted the cancellation.

"My philosophy is to get the kids into school in good shape," Stearns said. "In the morning, you're asking them to go and stand out by the street [to wait for buses]. When it's dark, windy, the snow is blowing, the roads are icy, it becomes a dangerous situation."

Counties to the west and south of Cleveland experienced less snowfall.

But the cold temperatures were everywhere.

The city of Cleveland planned to keep its recreation centers open until 8 p.m. Tuesday for residents who needed a place to stay warm. It also cautioned that residents might want to allow faucets to drip to avoid having water lines freeze.

Cleveland declared a snow emergency parking ban for the city at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. There was no parking or stopping on city streets with posted red and white signs. That ban remains in effect indefinitely.

City crews, meanwhile, continued to work the streets. A statement from Mayor Frank Jackson's office said 47 crews were working around the clock. Once the main streets are in fair to good condition, crews were to move into the residential streets. The goal, the mayor said, is to have all streets serviced within 24 to 36 hours from when snow stops falling.

The weather and road conditions made for plenty of work for people like Don Clarke, shop manager for O'Connor's Auto Body and Towing Service in Wickliffe. That business had 12 tow trucks working steadily to help stranded motorists in the morning.

"We're up for it," he said. "You work all year to get ready for it."

But while business was good (the cost of removing a car that has slid off a road can start at $90), it was not without its hazards.

"(The toughest thing) is the wind chill. You can get cold real fast if you're not dressed right for it," Clarke said. "You have to worry about other vehicles coming. You have to be safe. It's always in the back of your mind."

Tuesday's lowest temperature was a bone-chilling 7, measured around noon, only the second single digit temperature this year. Last year the region had just one such day. Overnight lows were expected to go as low as 5 degrees. The record for the day was minus 10, recorded in Cleveland in 1936.

It's a small comfort, but days with temperatures in the single digits are relatively rare in Cleveland.

Over the last 50 years, Cleveland has averaged nearly 15 days a year in single digits, including 3.7 days a year below zero.

A lake effect snow warning will be in effect until 7 a.m. today and a wind chill advisory is in effect until 11 a.m. Commuters this morning could also face 10 to 15 mph winds gusting up to 25 mph causing drifts.

High temperatures for today and Thursday will about 17 degrees, which could feel like minus 9 with wind chill. Highs are expected to rise to about 20 on Friday and Saturday and a balmy 25 by Sunday. More seasonal temperatures in the upper 30s are expected to return Monday.

And Greater Cleveland could catch a break with the storm that is to move though Thursday night and Friday. It is expected to have a greater impact downstate.

The National Weather Service said the storm from the south is not likely to reach Northeast Ohio, but if it does should only mean another 2-3 inches of snow. Accuweather forecasts "a bit of snow and spotty flurries" for areas north of Interstate 80. More significant snow could accumulate along the I-64 and I-70 corridors in the Midwest in Louisville and Lexington, Ky., Cincinnati and Columbus and Charleston and Morgantown, W.Va.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.